Bringing people together through the arts. A non-profit second-hand bookshop and arts venue in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Patron: Warren Ellis (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Dirty Three)

So…I’m back from my week away. Didja miss me? Hmm, not sure evoking memories of Gary Glitter is quite how I intended to start this post. I’ll move swiftly on.

Today is Tuesday. On Friday, the Tree House will open its doors for business at 9.30am…still seems unreal, despite the hard work that I and several others have been putting in, and will continue to do so over the next three days! But we are almost there – still some work to do in the shop, but it’s taking shape nicely. In fact there is lots of work still to do in the shop, but I am focusing on what’s necessary; we will be working on making the space better and better after we open, and in fact it will be a continuously-developing space, which is part of the fun.

But we have a wonderful shop statement in preparation and a manifesto to get the blood rolling, and we have books on shelves (they may even be in some sort of approachable order by Friday) and comfy chairs and sofas to sit on, so we are all set. Wow.

Donations of stock keep pouring in, and bits of furniture keep appearing – people are wonderful. Wonderful. Some window-gazers assume we are a charity shop (as the premises used to be) and that the sofas are for sale, but they aren’t. I have also been scouring eBay and elsewhere to begin to fill gaps in the stock we have – I want to make the stock as good as I can, as quickly as I can, to set off on the right foot. But as with the space itself, the stock will inevitably evolve, develop – find its own form, as my friend Tricha always says about everything in life (and she’s right). And we have lots of fabulous books to sell!

We hope to have homemade cake during the opening day, and I will fire up my new urn to provide tea and coffee. My food hygiene certificate is not yet in place, so you take your chances! The risks are low.

And of course we have our free celebratory gig in the evening– starts at 7.30, doors open at 7pm – bring your own booze, we can provide cups/glasses/corkscrews. Storytelling and jazz – it will be fabulous! Literally, in terms of the storytelling at least…

I’ve been up early watching the storm and loving it; the thunder and lightning seem to have passed now, though the glorious rain is still raining down. I’ve been listening to this song a lot since yesterday, by one of the inspirations for the Tree House, and my greatest hero. It’s a perfect song for a heatwave and a thunderstorm – ‘Was that the thunder that I heard?’ Another of Bob’s songs that would make a good film…why has no one based films on Bob’s songs? Some of the stories are wonderful.

3 thoughts on “Dios nos vigila…”

Wonderful! And so inspiring! I too wish I lived nearer, so that I could be there for The Tree House opening… (Storytelling, music, books and wine – sounds perfect!) But I’ll be there with you in spirit, wishing you all the very best…